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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
Duc,
Figure amount of cubic yards needed
128'x2'x8'= 2,048.00 cubic feet Divide by 27 the number of cubic feet in a yard = 75.86 cubic yards
I would suggest local topsoil if not composted soil from a local supply yard or excavator. The material usually comes in 20 cubic yard loads on a tri-axle dump truck which would be cheeper. Depending on material make-up soil can settle as much as 20%. Some places sell by the ton to make sure count is honest. They could help with conversion to yards.
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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
In building birms, I'd study the drainage of both yours and your neighbour's properties. You probably don't want to give either of you any unexpected ponds, skating rinks or erosion.
White pine was mentioned. I'm thinking that must be something different than eastern white pine, which get to be big trees around here although it takes them awhile. We're in an overlap between Boreal and Great-Lakes/St. Lawrence forests and most everything grows here but spruce and fir grow faster than pine. Small white spruce grow more than a foot per year.
Eastern whites are among my favourite trees and our privacy bush has both white and red pine and as well as birch, poplar maple etc. The pines are 50' - 60' tall and a few are larger. I like red pine for rows and think they'd do better planed close than white pine. We have a row that are probably 10-15 years old and are 10' tall. They've just started to limb up and would look good on a birm. We also have a blue spruce (not native here) a former owner planted from seed 50 years ago. It is about 30' and hasn't limbed up nor does balsam fir. The spruce is about 20' in diameter at the base and they couldn't be planted close.
I don't think you could limit the height of white pine or quite a few trees by pruning. Especially white pine turn into misshapen Gorgon trees if their leaders are cut. We have a white blister rust here that kills the leaders and the resulting trees aren't attractive at all.
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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
Duc,
Fingers working faster than the mind this morning. I gave you total cubic yards and did not figure on elevation drop on the sides of the berm. Figure on using 3/4 total amount or roughly 60 cubic yards. If you don't like the height it is easier to get more that find a home for too much.
Tom is right make sure on the drainage issue.
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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
I have decided on Arborvites for this project around 5' tall would be a good affordable size. I calculated spacing from diameter of each tree being 2' apart. The reason for that is to give more immediate privacy, I dont think it would harm the trees being that close. I calculated for 128' I would need close to 60 trees. The actual size of the berme could now be approx under 2 ft high 4 or 5 ft wide max. The quote on 5' aborvites are $35 each- is that ok?
Most likely weed cloth and mulch will be the top cover.
I dont think I can get this done before winter (too many other things that take priority) but early spring is likely..
Any comments or things to look out for with this design?
Thanks in advance..
Ducati996
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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
Do you have a need for an immediate barrier? Or could you wait a year or two? I have found that planting smaller ones will not only be cheaper but they will be healthier in the end. Smaller ones will build stronger root systems and seem to transplant easier. I have planted bigger arbor vitaes and had terrible problems with them blowing over in high winds. This meant staking them, and I'm sure you don't want to stake 60 of them on a hedge. As fast as they grow I'd bet you could plant a 2 footer and a 5 footer side by side and within a couple of years they would be the same size with the younger one being healthier.
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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
kwschumm,
The need for immediate privacy would win over. When I get around to doing it all, I would want something to give me some immediate results to my goal. The price difference wasnt that much between 2-3 and the 4-5. I dont have a wind problem under normal conditions of course 
I will keep you suggestions in mind when this comes together in the spring...
Thanks,
Ducati996
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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
You know your weather conditions best. Where we are we normally don't have wind problems but we still seem to get one or two 70+ mph windstorms each year. Of course that's when everything with weak roots blow over. The younguns seem to get used to it and cope much better. Anyway, this doesn't apply to you. I sure got tired of propping trees back up and staking them. Some of them may never cope without stakes.
Best of luck with your project!
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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
we have been lucky with the wind enemy (hurricanes especially) I do understand that they are prone to snow damage with a heavy snow fall. I wouldnt mind brushing them off when that happens, like I did with the other ornmentals
with last years big snow season...This will be a early spring project definately
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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
Price of the plants seems pretty fair. Use that formula for figuring the new amount of topsoil needed. Plug in 4/5' instead of 8' figure 3/4 of the total to account for berming.
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Need advice on building a privacy barrier w dwarf fur or spruce
White pines grow fast,get 3 year or so transplants,they come bare rooted and are about a foot and a half tall and not to expensive,and they grow about a ft a year,if your in more of a hurry,get white pine balled with roots live chrismas trees,costly. Don't know why you want a burm. Richard
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Gas Generator Weather Protecti
10-15-2003, 07:03 
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